'I would not say
she’s a controversial model, but she’s not a classic model. And I like
that.'

She added that Miss Upton was a dream to work with, fitting the theme perfectly.

'She was so cool, and
so good with all the baby dolls – I thought it was the best choice, ' she said. 'It
felt so natural for her to hold babies, baby pigs, baby lambs, baby
donkeys.

'Maybe people will be surprised that she was my first cover, but
you know, I always like to surprise people.'

It is one of two covers that will grace the launch issue of CR Fashion Book, the second being a little girl holding a baby, also shot by the same photographer.

The magazine has been the subject of huge buzz among the fashion community. The biannual title, which will cost $15, goes on sale from September 13.

In today's Page Six Magazine, industry insiders speculated that it had sparked a brewing battle between Ms Roitfeld and U.S. Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour.

'There's potential for a real fashion war,' said writer Simon Dumenco, who contributes to Ad Age and Conde Nast's Details.

Small wonders: The Kate Upton image is one of two covers that will grace the launch issue of CR Fashion Book, the second being a little girl holding a baby, also shot by Bruce Weber

Indeed, the magazine reports, when the name of CR Fashion Book was announced in April, photographers including Mario Testino and Craig McDean were 'reminded' that they work exclusively for Conde Nast by its chairman Jonathan Newhouse.

The debut issue of Ms Roitfeld's magazine is titled 'Rebirth', which was inspired by the recent birth of her first grandchild. Her daughter, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld became mother to baby girl Romy in May.

'We decided for each issue there would be a theme,' Ms Roitfeld told The Daily Beast.

'When I started to work
on this issue, my daughter was pregnant, so I was obsessed with
pregnancy, with babies, with new life coming. It’s become an obsession.'